The agency who is resettling the refugees, the International Rescue Committee, also filed separate paperwork at a US District Court, citing that Texas could not discriminate on the basis of nationality as it was a violation of US civil rights laws.
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday withdrew a request for a temporary restraining order that sought to stop six Syrian refugees from coming to Dallas, but Paxton isn’t entirely dropping the suit. The family, consisting of a mother and father, two children and their grandparents is now expected to arrive in Dallas Monday.
Approximately 30 governors from around the nation have joined with Governor Abbott in fighting the federal government who themselves have said they can not legitimately screen these Syrian refugees.
– December 4: The federal government and the IRC respond in court to the Texas lawsuit, saying the state has no legal authority to block the resettlement of government-approved refugees.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced in the wake of the Paris attacks that he would keep refugees out until he was convinced they were properly vetted.
The state has requested that the court set a December 9 date for a hearing on an injunction to halt Syrians from resettling. In 2014, President Barack Obama granted a waiver for Syrian refugees who had provided material support to terrorists if that support was insignificant and the refugees pass background and security checks to verify that they pose no danger.
The federal government is arguing that Texas’ argument is “without merit” and says it has met its obligation to “provide advance consultation regarding individual resettlement decisions”.
“Texas shouldn’t have to go to court to require Washington to comply with federal law regarding its duties to consult with Texas in advance”, said Attorney General Ken Paxton.
“Refugees are victims of terror, not terrorists, and the families we help have always been welcomed by the people of Texas”, the organization said earlier this week. This morning, the government filed its brief in response, which, whatever one thinks of the underlying policy choices, seems pretty darn convincing.
Texas claims the USA government failed to adequately consult with the state about refugee resettlement.
The legal battle over the resettlement of Syrian refugees in Texas took another turn Friday.
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“The FBI as well as other federal officials have made it clear – they have no ability to ensure the safety and security of the refugees they are admitting into the United States”, Abbott has said. “And it would do so in order to prevent refugee families with small children from entering the state”. If the federal government plans on accepting 10,000 Syrian refugees this year, that would mean as many as 1,000 refugees could be headed to the Lone Star State. The spreadsheet said that IRC and state health officials had received “some anti-Muslim communication” and that was being “closely monitored”, without elaborating.
